It is sometimes preferable for particular kinds of foods to be cooked using steam. Accordingly, conventional ovens and microwaves have sometimes been equipped with a steam generating mechanism in addition to a regular heating means. Additionally, it is known to provide sinks with cooking capabilities including having a steam generator which provides steam into the cooking sink.
Conventionally there has been introduced a wide variety of steam generating mechanisms into the market, which can be characterized into different categories.
One type of steam generating mechanism which is typically used in an oven, has a means for providing water into the bottom portion of an oven cavity. An oven heater is installed into the bottom of the oven cavity and operates to heat the water so as to generate steam into the chamber.
Another type of steam generating mechanism employs a configuration in which the water is injected over a heater to generate steam. U.S. Pat. No. 6,318,246 illustrates such a system, wherein a water supply tube directs water toward a suction side of a fan where air and water is sucked by the fan and is dispersed toward a heater so that water is formed into steam.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,261 discloses another type of steam generating mechanism. In this reference, a steam generator is arranged outside of a cooking pot and is connected to the pot so that steam generated by the steam supply can be directed into the cooking pot. A valve assembly between the steam generator and the cooking pot controls the introduction of steam into the pot.